5 things to watch over Mother’s Day weekend, no matter your mood

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There are tons of new titles hitting the small screen this week, and whether you’re looking for laughs or in the mood for some drama, theGrio has you covered. With Mother’s Day on the horizon, we’ve compiled a few fun flicks and shows that would be great to watch alongside the mother in your life — or, if you’ll be channel-surfing solo, help you pass the time.

Check out our list of what to watch this week.

Monster

Starring Kelvin Harrison Jr., Jeffrey Wright and Jennifer Hudson, plus featuring Nas and A$AP Rocky, this Netflix film tells the story of Steve Harmon (played by Harrison), a 17-year-old honor student whose world comes crashing down around him when he is charged with felony murder. Monster follows the dramatic journey of a smart, likable film student from Harlem attending an elite high school through a complex legal battle that could leave him spending the rest of his life in prison. Co-written by Radha Blank (The 40-Year-Old Version) and based on the 1999 book by Walter Dean Myers, this film contains superb acting and a staunch reminder that the world cares very little about the person behind the headlines.

That Damn Michael Che

This six-episode comedy mini-series uses sketches and vignettes to illustrate Saturday Night Live funnyman Michael Che‘s perspective on everyday situations like racial profiling, unemployment, falling in love and more. Fellow SNL alums like Cecily Strong, Heidi Gardner, Colin Quinn, Ellen Cleghorne and Colin Jost lend their talents, along with featured stars, a roster including Omari Hardwick, Geoffrey Owens, Godfrey, Billy Porter and Method Man.

In Our Mothers’ Gardens

Ava DuVernay‘s ARRAY is releasing this beautiful documentary on Netflix just in time for Mother’s Day. It marks the feature-film directorial debut of curator-scholar Shantrelle P. Lewis and celebrates the strength and resiliency of Black women and Black families through the complex, often-times humorous relationship between mothers and daughters. In Our Mothers’ Gardens pays homage to Black maternal ancestors while examining the immediate and critical importance of self-care and the healing tools necessary for Black communities to thrive. Lewis is joined by  #MeToo founder Tarana Burke, The Roots and Chris Rock tour manager Tina Farris, cultural critic Dr. Brittney Cooper of Rutgers University, Rev. Dr. Theresa S. Thames of Princeton University, holistic lifestyle maven Latham Thomas, photographer Adama Delphine Fawundu and NPR Senior Director for Programming Yolanda Sangweni — all women willing to share their personal stories to help illuminate the bigger picture in this truly gorgeous documentary.

Here Today

While this unlikely pairing had us skeptical at first, this is the perfect project to watch with your parents or grandparents to give them all the feels. When veteran comedy writer Charlie Burnz (Billy Crystal) meets New York singer Emma Payge (Tiffany Haddish), they form an unlikely yet hilarious and touching friendship that kicks the generation gap aside and redefines the meaning of love and trust. Directed by Crystal, Here Today is written by the comic actor and his decades-long friend Alan Zweibel, with whom he last collaborated on his Tony Award-winning one-man show, 2004’s 700 Sundays. It is based on Zweibel’s short story, The Prize.

Ziwe

Writer, comedian and performer Ziwe, who also serves as showrunner on the series, brings her singular, riotously funny, no-holds-barred brand to Showtime with her new eponymous late-night variety show premiering May 9. Previously, Ziwe wrote for Desus & Mero, Our Cartoon President and Dickinson and rose to viral popularity with her groundbreaking and provocative Instagram Live series questioning cultural figures on race. The hilarious Ziwe will feature some major celebs, and the expectation is that she’ll hold nothing back as she grills them on whatever’s on her mind, showing and proving why she’s the queen of satire.

Don’t miss Chris Witherspoon, founder & CEO of PopViewers, as he runs down his top three recommendations on our new video series, Weekly Watch. Check it out below!

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